1993 Las Vegas production/Showgirl
In 1993, Starlight Express became the first permanent legitimate Broadway-style show to open in Las Vegas. In order to adjust the show to the locale, various alterations were made, including shortening the show to a single-act, 90 minute production, adding betting references to the races, and making the Coaches' costumes fit in more with the Vegas Showgirl feel - making them far more skimpy and revealing. No significant changes were made to the female Components' costumes. The costumes were not created in time for the opening of the Las Vegas production, initially they used the US Tour/Broadway costumes. The new costumes had not been introduced when the production brochure photos were taken, so relatively few photos exist of the costume designs actually being used in Las Vegas. However the costumes were pulled from storage for the 2003 US Tour, and subsequently 2004 UK tour, 2009 New Zealand tour, 2012 UK Tour, and the 2013 Asia Tour. Pearl Reva Rice originally wore her Broadway costume during the opening months of the Las Vegas production. When the costume was altered, the changes to her costume were: *The removal of the 'OBSERVATION' panel, revealing her cleavage *The removal of the front panel of her skirt, which also held the 'PM' monogram, the remainder of the skirt was also made shorter *Her pink leggings were replaced by dance tights *The replacement of her long, pink wig with a much shorter, blonde wig with curls down to her shoulder. Pearl Us93 Reva Rice 01.jpg|Reva Rice, Vegas 1993 Pearl Pumping Iron Corbis us93.jpg|Reva Rice, Vegas 1993 Rusty Pearl Vegas Getty Images 01.jpg|later Las Vegas Pearl Nz09 Rebecca Wright.jpg|NZ Tour 2009 Dinah Dinah's costume changed the least during the alteration, however this also made her the most revealing of the coaches, particularly as the pale blue colour scheme contrasts heavily with tanned skin. *The front of her skirt was removed, along with the "napkin", the remainder of the skirt was also made shorter *The folded napkins on the bust become gathered and bra-shaped. *Her blue leggings were removed, instead replaced with skin-colored tights. Dinah US93 Dawn Marie Church.jpg|Dawn Marie Church, US Tour costume 1993 Greaseball Dinah Vegas Getty Images 01.jpg|later Las Vegas costume Dinah us03 35.jpg|US Tour 2003 Dinah Nz09 Torum Heng.jpg|Torum Heng, New Zealand Tour 2009 Buffy Buffy Nz09 Camilla Hardy.jpg|Camilla Hardy, New Zealand tour 2009 Buffy US93 Edyie Fleming.jpg|Edyie Fleming, US Tour costume, 1993 Buffy's costume changes are the least glaring as she already has stockings suggested in the German production, and her cream - bronze - silver colour palette blends well with a tanned flesh-tone. Also it is more in character for the easy going, flirty buffet car to show some skin. *Her leggings were cut down to silver stockings with suspenders. *The midriff was removed from her leotard, giving the impression of showing flesh. *Her chest box was made narrower, revealing her cleavage Ashley Ashley Uk05 Amy Field.jpg|Amy Field, UK Tour 2005 Ashley US93 Meera Popkin.jpg|Meera Popkin, US Tour costume, 1993 Ashley's costume changes made her costume design simpler and has less character specific elements. *Her leggings were removed, and for the 1st UK tour, replaced with fishnet tights *The bold fishnet pattern on her arms and torso is removed, her gloves extending to above elbow. *The detail of ashtrays on her bust is removed. *Her lampshade-style skirt was replaced with a miniskirt. Gallery Pearl Us93 Reva Rice 02.jpg|Reva Rice as Pearl, Las Vegas original costume 1993 Dinah Buffy Ashley Us93 01.jpg|Coaches, Las Vegas Original Costumes 1993 Coaches Vegas promo.jpg|Las Vegas Coaches, 1994-1997 Coaches 2013 singapore 1.jpg|Coaches, 2013 Asia Tour Criticism The sexualisation and objectification of the female characters is problematic. Starlight Express had issues with misogyny at the best of times, and by over-sexualising the principal female characters, their purpose is reduced to being appealing objects for the male characters to argue over. This is further aggravated by later plot alterations that remove the agency of female characters, and changing songs such as "Whole Lotta Locomotion" and cutting "Girls' Rolling Stock" gives the coaches less opportunity to establish their characters. In 2018 the German show was rewritten in an attempt to overcome these issues. __FORCETOC__ Category:Design Category:Blog posts